The Seventh Amendment

by Lauren Henesey

The Seventh Amendment

by Lauren Henesey

Word for Word:

In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be presented, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined on any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

In Court

Nov. 2009 - A class action lawsuit is brought against Toyota when more than two thousand Toyota owners claim experiencing sudden, unintended acceleration problems. While driving at normal speeds, plaintiffs claimed their cars suddenly and uncontrollably accelerated to top speeds and drivers were unable to make the cars stop. The problem was traced back to defective electronic throttle system.

Scenario:

A manufacturing company is sued for ground pollution in a small town where a power plant of the company's is set up. The population has shown a significant increase in cancer, birth defects, and the like, over the last 15 years, around the time the power plant began production. A class action lawsuit is filed against the company for $2.5 million and the source is investigated. I is found that a toxic chemical has been draining into a water source and the ground around it. The company pays the $2.5 million without protest, shuts down production, and investigates efforts to combat and fix the damage done.

Credit:

Furgang, Kathy. The Seventh Amendment: The Right to a Jury Trial. New York: Rosen Central Pub., 2011. Print.